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Intel introduced the Core i5-12400 as part of its Alder Lake CPU lineup. This processor is a budget offering that packs six cores and 12 threads. All six cores are performance-focused P cores.
The i5-12400 does not have any Efficiency E cores, unlike the models in the higher end. Thus, it is more like the last-generation Core i5-11400 and Ryzen 5 5600X.
This processor is Intel's option for a sub-$200 chip. However, the company has chopped off a few features to hit this price point.
The i5-12400 is a locked processor, so users cannot tinker with the clock speeds to derive better performance levels.
Note: This article is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer
The Intel Core i5-12400 is a budget six-core champion that is value for money
The budget six-core "400" series processors have always proven to be very successful for Intel.
Gamers looking for the performance of a $500 - $700 PC often opt for a $200 processor as it allows them to spend enough money on the remaining components. For this reason, the ninth-gen Coffee Lake Core i5-9400, 10th-gen Comet Lake Core i5-10400, and 11th-gen Rocket Lake Core i5-11400 have sold like hotcakes.
With improved IPC as well as single-core and multi-core performance metrics, the i5-12400 has been the best-selling 12th-gen core chip to date.
The Intel Core i5-12400 packs the improved Laminar RM1 stock cooler from Intel, which is way better than the old version. However, it is still not enough.
Tests have shown that a surprisingly easy-to-cool chip like the Core i5-12400 hits 80 degrees under load while paired with this cooler.
The i5-12400 variant also packs the UHD Graphics 730 integrated GPU. It is not capable enough to run modern AAA games but is still considered nice to have.
Intel also sells an iGPU-less Core i5-12400F, which cuts the price by a few more bucks.
The Core i5-12400 supports memory overclocking. It can also handle DDR5 memory of up to 4800 MHz clock speeds in addition to supporting DDR4 memory of up to 3200 MHz. These features make it the perfect processor for budget gamers.
In terms of performance, the processor beats the much more expensive Ryzen 9 5950X in single-core performance. This speaks for the vastly improved technology implemented in Alder Lake processors.
However, when it comes to multi-core performance, the Intel i5-12400 loses to the Ryzen 9 5950X because of its core count. While the 12400 packs six cores, the 5950X comes with 16 cores.
Most video games do not require anything more than one or two cores. Thus, the difference between the i5-12400 and Ryzen 9 5950X in video games is nominal. This further heightens the i5-12400's value proposition.
Overall, the Core i5-12400 is an awesome value for the price. Intel is also allegedly coming up with a Core i5-13400 alongside other Raptor Lake SKUs later this year.
It will be interesting to see how much improvement the next generation of cost-efficient processors brings.
